Trailers (e.g., recreational trailers, utility trailers, boat trailers, semi-trailers, and the like) may be towed by vehicles (e.g., automobiles and trucks). Such towed trailers may be equipped with a plurality of trailer brakes. Trailers equipped with a plurality of trailer brakes typically include an even number of trailer brakes, having two trailer brakes for each axle of the trailer that is equipped with trailer brakes. The plurality of trailer brakes may be electric trailer brakes or electric-over-hydraulic trailer brakes.
Electric trailer braking systems typically include a plurality of electric trailer brakes, each of which typically includes brake shoes that frictionally engage a drum when activated. In such systems, an electromagnet is typically mounted on one end of a lever in order to actuate the brake shoes. When a signal, such as an electric current, is applied to the electromagnet, the lever is pivoted as the electromagnet is drawn against the rotating brake drum, thereby actuating the electric trailer brakes.
Electric-over-hydraulic trailer braking systems include a plurality of hydraulic trailer brakes and an electric-over-hydraulic brake actuator coupled to the trailer that receives an electrical activation signal from a trailer brake controller (typically coupled to the towing vehicle) and provides hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic trailer brakes upon receipt of the electrical activation signal.
Electric braking systems and electric-over-hydraulic braking systems include a trailer brake controller coupled to the towing vehicle that controls the application of the signal to the plurality of trailer brakes, and thereby controls trailer braking.
When a trailer-vehicle combination turns, or “corners,” the vehicle-trailer combination may become unstable in an understeer or oversteer condition, which may undesirably result in jackknife or plow-out. It may be desirable to control an application of the plurality of trailer brakes based on a cornering attitude signal in order to improve the stability of the vehicle-trailer combination during cornering.
Accordingly, a need exists for systems, vehicles, and methods for controlling an application of a plurality of trailer brakes during cornering.